Snakebitten UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz has been forced to withdraw from his champion vs. champion UFC 169 headlining bout against interim titleholder Renan Barao due to a groin tear, UFC President Dana White announced on a Monday afternoon edition of ESPN's SportsCenter.

The bout was intended to serve as a long-awaited return to action for Cruz (19-1), who's been sidelined with a string of knee injuries since defending his title against Demetrious Johnson on October 2011.

White described Cruz's latest setback as a "grade 2 or 3" groin tear.

Previously, Cruz suffered a devastating ACL injury midway through filming the 13-week season of The Ultimate Fighter Live opposite Faber in 2012, then suffered a series of setbacks which eventually led UFC officials to set a deadline of early-2014 for his return -- a deadline which if Cruz was unable to meet, UFC officials would strip him of his belt.

As such, White announced that Cruz has vacated his UFC title, which he's unofficially held since defeating Brian Bowles on March 6, 2010, and the UFC has promoted Barao to its official UFC bantamweight champion.

In Cruz's stead, his rival, red-hot bantamweight contender Urijah Faber (30-6), has agreed to rematch Barao on less than one month's notice at UFC 169.

Faber dropped a unanimous decision to Barao at UFC 149, but shortly afterward rebounded by stringing together four impressive, lopsided victories over Ivan Menjivar, Scott Jorgensen, Iuri Alcantara and Michael McDonald in 2013.

Faber is 15-5 over the course of 20 UFC/WEC contests, but just 0-5 in championship bouts since November 2008.

Barao (31-1, 1 NC) is undefeated over his last 32 fights, and defended his UFC interim belt a record two times, submitting McDonald and defeating Eddie Wineland via second-round TKO.

In light of Cruz's injury, UFC officials have yet to announce whether the night's planned co-main event, UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo vs. Ricardo Lamas, will be upgraded to the main event.

UFC 169 takes place February 1, 2014 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

I feel bad for Cruz, can't catch a break but it was right to take the title from him. Glad to see Faber step up and take this fight on short notice....hope he can pull off the upset!

Vizion

01-06-2014 10:32 PM

Ergh...so sick of all these injuries!!!!!!!!!

wavetar

01-06-2014 10:56 PM

I'd call Cruz a paper champion...but it seems glass is more fitting...

Irish Pride

01-06-2014 11:43 PM

I hope Barao KO's Faber. :punch::w00t:

rearnakedchoke

01-07-2014 02:46 PM

sucks for cruz ... i am sure he wants to be in there fighting ... but when you have such a long layoff, and you start training fully, you are bound to get injured if you go to hard .. imo, if the interim champ has to defend once, he should become the champ ... so this is long over due .. i like both guys, so tough to choose ..

VCURamFan

01-07-2014 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wavetar
(Post 203687)

I'd call Cruz a paper champion...but it seems glass is more fitting...

I don't think that's fair. Cruz DOMINATED that division! To call him a paper champion is just false.

That being said, I do think he should be stripped of the title now. It's a crummy situation, but it's not fair to the division. Also, it will let him fight a lesser opponent the first time back in the Octagon instead of having to take on Barao immediately.

wavetar

01-08-2014 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VCURamFan
(Post 203694)

I don't think that's fair. Cruz DOMINATED that division! To call him a paper champion is just false.

That being said, I do think he should be stripped of the title now. It's a crummy situation, but it's not fair to the division. Also, it will let him fight a lesser opponent the first time back in the Octagon instead of having to take on Barao immediately.

Oh yes, he's a great fighter. It was a bit of a joke line, referring to his seeming frailty. But, when you haven't defended the title in more than two years, and the interim belt's been awarded & defended twice in that time frame, you truly are only the champ on paper.

VCURamFan

01-08-2014 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wavetar
(Post 203718)

Oh yes, he's a great fighter. It was a bit of a joke line, referring to his seeming frailty. But, when you haven't defended the title in more than two years, and the interim belt's been awarded & defended twice in that time frame, you truly are only the champ on paper.

Ooo, OK, I see what you're saying. Sorry, yes, I agree with you. :frantics: